Jaeger LeCoultre

In 1903, Jacques David LeCoultre, the grandson of the company's founder, met Edmond Jaeger from Alsace. The two formed a partnership which, after many years of friendship, became the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufactory in 1937. By 1903, the company had already succeeded in producing the smallest mechanical chronograph, the smallest repeater watch, and the smallest wristwatch. These precision engineering feats established the company's leading technical position and reputation. Watches such as the Duoplan model (1925) achieved a previously unattained level of precision. The Atmos model, introduced in 1928, was also considered a milestone: a table clock mounted under a glass bell jar and powered solely by fluctuations in atmospheric pressure. This clock was particularly popular in the USA, with half of the production being sold there.

In 1931, the legendary Reverso watch model was launched. This watch could be turned on the wrist, thus better withstanding the knocks and bumps encountered in sports such as golf, polo, or tennis. To this day, the Reverso remains a watch with a distinctive character and a true classic in the history of mechanical watches. In its long history of success, the Reverso model has spawned numerous variations. In addition to the rather spartan-looking sports watches, this series has produced highly elaborate chronographs, as well as watches with minute repeaters, tourbillons, and a second time zone. The materials used ranged from steel to rose gold, yellow gold, and platinum with diamond embellishments. The straps of these luxury watches were made of fine metal links or crocodile and ostrich leather.

Even in more recent history, the watch manufacturer has repeatedly succeeded in developing luxury watches that have become milestones in manufacturing technology. For example, in 1989, the Grand Reveil model was launched, an automatic watch with an alarm and a perpetual calendar. One year later, the Geopgraphique was released, a masterpiece with a power reserve and the display of multiple time zones. This series also includes the classic Master Ultra Thin. The Master Control series represents an important step in watchmaking, as all watches in this series are tested for 1,000 hours of functional reliability before delivery. The watches must undergo tests that are more stringent than chronometer tests.

What makes the Jaeger-LeCoultre watch manufacturer special is that it has produced its own complicated movements from the very beginning. Due to their renowned quality, these movements are sourced from other manufacturers and incorporated into their watches. After concentrating for a long time on producing classics, Jaeger-LeCoultre has recently begun to impress with its world-first innovations. Watch models such as the Gyrotourbillon 1 and Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2, as well as the Duometre, have won awards and were voted Watch of the Year in 2008. The Hybris Mechanica and the Hybris Mechanica a Triptyque are considered the most complicated wristwatches in the world. Luxury watches from Jaeger-LeCoultre are and will always be something special.